I am new to wood burning as this will be my first winter with my Lopi Endeavor. I built a fire today today to burn off the new smell and knock the chill out of the air. What stovetop temp should I run at to prevent chimney buildup?
Stove temp?
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If you have good secondary ignition and no smoke from the flue, it is burning cleanly. I would shoot for the neighborhood of 450-600°F. But it is ok if the temps drop a bit lower once the fuel has turned completely to charcoal. It has outgassed at that point.
Certainly below the temp that makes it glow red. :lol: That is a first class stove. It should be able to run at 650 all day long and be fine. Occasional spikes into the 700-750 range when it is in peak secondary combustion after a fresh, full charge of wood are ok.
Will it create a problem it I fill the stove in the mornings before work, let it blaze up good with the bypass open to get the wood going and then completely close the bypass and air inlet so that I will have a good bed of coals to stoke up when I get home from work or should I let it run around 650 and relight when I get home? I think this stove has an air inlet that allows a small amount of air in even with the rod in the front pushed all the way in, part of the EPA stuff.
sixman said:
You should be fine burning that way but it may take a few fires to find that sweet spot air setting for a long burn.
I noticed today that when I had the air barely open, the stove would puff every now and then. I have read several posts on the problem and will wait till colder weather and see if it remains a problem. Puff = gasses in stove combusting intermittantly causing exess pressure in stove and flue and small amounts of smoke leaking from where stove pipe sits on stove.
Todd I listed two different ways of burning and not sure which way you are saying should be fine.
Todd I listed two different ways of burning and not sure which way you are saying should be fine.
It will take a little while, but you will get a feel for your particular stove. For example, 99% of the time, I can't fully close the primary air on my Endeavor, or I will smolder the fire. Other EPA stove users can fully closer their primary air and still maintain secondary combustion. It will vary for you and your setup, I'm sure. Another thing you'll learn is timing. If I have an established coal bed, I can have a fresh charge settled to where I want it running it 15-30 minutes, depending on the size of the load/species/weather/etc. If I am starting from a cold stove, it might take a little longer. One thing I would encourage you NOT to do: load the stove full, open the bypass damper and primary air full, then walk away for 20 minutes to go take a shower. You'll come back to be greeted by that "oh, it reached a new high temp level" smell.
sixman said:
Sounds like it is being shut down the fire too early. If the flame is snuffed out, leaving smoldering wood, then it reignites, it can puff back. The smoke filling the the firebox is unburnt wood gas. This is easier to do with a cold stove or with wood that isn't fully seasoned.
To avoid puffback, let the splits really catch fire before closing down the air. And then close it down in steps. maybe each time half of the previous. In other words, 1/2 closed, then 1/4 closed, then 1/8th closed. You are correct that this will change as the outdoor temps get cooler and draft increases. Then you may be able to close it down with less steps.
Thats why I have a temp gauge on the stove pipe, it seems like some things have changed in the last 30 years but I still feel safer keeping an eye on the stack temp, you can smell it and feel it when it get too hot but I like to see it coming. If you forget to keep an eye on the stove it makes no difference any way. :bug:Pagey said:
My Endeavor likes to run in the 600-700 range. I close the air down in three or four stages depending on what it's burning like. When it's cold(teens or lower) I can usually close the air all the way down and still worry that it's going to run away for a little bit. To adjust the air I look down on the air lever and use the front of the ash lip to judge where I'm at on the handle. For the final adjustment I usually push the handle all the way in and pull it out one coil on the handle.
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